Plate and pan lifter.



Pr]. SMART.

PLATE AND PAN LIFTER.

APPLIC AT|0N FILED JULY 30. 1914.

l mfi mgw Patented July 13, 1915.

VVfinesses Inventor COLUMBIA PLAXDOWH can WAIIHIMNN. D.

enact: JOHN SMART, or GARTHAGE, Mrssouni.

I PLATE AND PAN LIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, T915.

Application filed Ju1y 30, 1914.' Serial No. 854,120.

lowing is a specification.

The present invention appertains to plate and pan lifters, and aims to provide a novel and improved device for handling various plates and pans, especially when they are heated. 1

This invention contemplates the provision of a plate and pan lifter of unique construction, whereby it is readily adjustable to accommodate various sizes of plates and pans, within practical limits, and whereby the utility of the device is otherwise enhanced.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com bination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, wherein a Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im-' proved lifting device, a portionof the handle being broken away. Fig.2 1s a cross section of the device taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the present invention,

there is provided a twisted wire handle 1 of any suitable length, and which is preferably formed of three wires or strands intertwisted and having a loop 2 at one end forming a hand hold, as well as a means for suspending the lifter from a hook, nail or the like, when it is not in use. At that end of the handle opposite the loop or hand hold 2, two of the wires or strands are extended along divergent lines to provide a fork whose arms 3 are provided with defieXed or angularly extending portions 4:, and the depending angular portions L are provided with inturned fingers 5.

The arms 3 of the fork which are bent in the peculiar manner indicated, provide a stationary or fixed claw at the outer end of the handle, and in connection with the said claw, there is provided an adjustable claw carried by the handle, as-will presently appear. The wires or strands of the handle 1 are provided with an untwisted portion between their ends, or adjacent the fork 3 3 and the said untwisted portion provides the straight longitudinal spaced portions 6 which form a guide or slideway for a slide 7 The slide 7 is preferably formed from a strip or bar of metal, which is dis posed laterally, and which is engaged fr1ctionally between one of the portions 6 and the other two of the said portions, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, the portions 6 being under tension to frictionally engage the intermediate portion of the slide or bar 7 so as to hold the slide at any position to which it is slid. The end portions of the slide or bar 7 are deflected or bent angularly downward, as at 8, and the intermediate portion of the slide 7 is provided with a depending ribor lug 9 fitting snugly between the lower portions 6 over which the slide 7 passes, whereby the rib or lug 9 will prevent the transverse movement of the slide slide for longitudinal movement along the guide or slideway formed by the portions 6 of the handle-forming wires.

A swingable or oscillatory claw is carried by the slide 7 and embodies a wire element having the body portion 10 journaled through the angular ends or ears 8 of the slide 7 and the inwardly or rearwardly bent arms 11 extending from the body portion of the wire directly outside of the ends or ears of the slide. The arms 11 are provided with defiexed or downwardly bent portions 12 which h ave the angular fingers 13 at their ends, whereby the peculiarly bent arms 11 provide the pivoted claw cooperable with the aforesaid stationary or fixed claw.

It will be observed that the slide 7 may be moved back and forth along the guide portion of the handle 1, to thereby enable the pivoted claw to be adjusted to and from the fixed claw, the pivoted claw being swingable to and from the fixed claw in any position of the slide and the claws being cooperable to grip or hold the various plates and pans. It will be evident that the portions 6 of the handle serve as a guide and retaining means for the slide 7, so that the rib or lug 9 of the slide will properly guide the slide for longitudinal movement relative to the handle, as well as preventing the slide 7 from swinging or otherwise becoming displaced out of its proper position. The slide 7 being adjustable within the limits of the guide enables the claws to be adjusted for holding various diameters or sizes of plates, pans and other receptacles within certain limits. It will also be evident that the tension of the portions 6 will cause them to frictionally I or pan, the slide 7 is first moved to the position where the operator thinks it will properly space the claws for properly accommodating the particular plate or pan.i The adjustment of the slide will come natural after a little experience and practice. The handle is then held in one hand and the pivoted claw engaged to one side or edge of the plate or pan, in which event the handle may be swung to engage the fixed claw over the opposite side or edge of the pan. Then, by lifting the handle 1. properly the plate or pan will be gripped or held between the two claws, and the pivoted claw will tend to swing toward the fixed one, to grip or bind the plate or pan beteen the claws without danger of the plate or pan dropping. It will be observed that the weight of the plate or pan and its contents will be partially borne by the pivoted claw, and as a result, there will be a tendency for the pivoted claw to swing downwardly, which will tend to swing the pivoted claw farther toward the fixed claw, for tightly holding the plate or pan. In this manner, theplate or pan may be conveniently handled or manipulated, without the difficulties usually incident to handling heated plates, pans, and the like. The plate or pan may be readily released when five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0.

desired by swinging the pivoted jaw backwardly and upwardly in which event the claws may be both removed from the plate or pan.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A lifter embodying a twisted wire handle, the wires having an untwisted portion forming a guide, and having a claw, a slide movable in said guide and having means engaging certain of the wires for guiding the slide for longitudinal movement, and a claw carried by the slide and cooperable with the aforesaid claw.

2. A lifter embodying a twisted wire handle, the wires having an untwisted portion forming a guide, and having a claw, a transverse bar engaging through said guide and having a lug engaging between certain of the said wires for guiding the slide for longitudinal movement, and a swingable claw carried by the slide and cooperable with the aforesaid claw.

A lifter embodying a twisted wire handle having an untwisted portion formin a guide and having a claw, a slide embodying a transverse bar engaged through the said guide and having its end portions bent angularly to form ears, the said untwisted portion of the handle being under tension to frictionally engage the said bar, the intermediate portion of the bar having a lu engaging betwen certainwires of the handle to guide the bar for longitudinal movement of the handle, and a pivoted claw carried by the slide and embodying a wire journalcd through the said ears and having claw arms.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PERCY JOHN SMART.

' Witnesses:

JOSEPHINE S. SMART, H. M. Boeenss.

Commissioner of Patents, 

